Father charged with shoving football coach

September 10, 2012|By Kate Thayer | Tribune reporter

James Slobodnik, 52, is charged with felony aggravated battery of a school employee and misdemeanor battery. (Police photo)

A suburban father faces battery charges after he was accused of shoving the South Elgin High School football coach just before Saturday’s varsity game because he was upset his son wasn’t going to play, police said Monday.

James Slobodnik, 52, of the 1200 block of Churchill Road, Bartlett, is charged with felony aggravated battery of a school employee and misdemeanor battery in the Sept. 8 incident at South Elgin High School, police said.

Sgt. Mike Doty said Slobodnik approached an assistant coach just before the varsity game on a practice field and began yelling because he was angry his son couldn’t play because of a suspension. He then approached the head coach and continued to yell, using obscenities and eventually shoving him in the chest, Doty said. Doty wasn’t sure why Slobodnik’s son wasn’t able to play in the game.

Slobodnik was escorted from the game by the school’s resource officer and administrators, he said. Charges were later filed after further police investigation, Doty said, and Slobodnik turned himself in at the police station.

John Heiderscheidt, safety coordinator for School District U-46, said the district takes employee safety very seriously, which is why Slobodnik was booted from the game.

“A situation of this magnitude where an irate individual approaches a school official – there’s no place for this in front of kids. There’s no place for this at a game,” he said. “This is never appropriate. To be yelling obscenities in front of high school students and then pushing (the coach)? That’s significantly wrong.”

Heiderscheidt would not elaborate on why Slobodnik was upset, nor why his son couldn’t play in the game. He added he wasn’t aware of previous problems. Slobodnik could not be reached for comment Monday afternoon.

Slobodnik is free from jail on $1,000 bond, according to Kane County court records. He’s scheduled to appear next in court Sept. 28.

South Elgin lost the game against Neuqua Valley High School. The score was 42 to 20.